As you may have read in “The Battalion” or in other local news reports this week, allegations have been made regarding the hiring of Texas A&M University’s Vice President for Student Affairs, Lt. General Joe Weber ’72, USMC (Ret.). Specifically, the veracity of my statements in July 2008 has been called into question regarding my desire to honestly seek student input in the filling of this vacancy. I am dismayed by the complete disregard of the value of respect in making such allegations without first providing anyone who was involved in the process, particularly me as President of this great university, the opportunity to state what actually happened during the hiring process.

The facts are irrefutable: On July 1, 2008, I sent the General a letter of offer as a first step in the employment negotiation process, which culminates with the approval by the Chancellor and Board of Regents to hire an individual for this level of position. Following concerns expressed to me by student leaders about their desire to provide more direct input in this process, to include meeting with General Weber, I rescinded the offer, asking him to meet with student leaders. One needs only to ask the General, a decorated military veteran, to confirm the fact that on the week of July 21, 2008, I gave him a document rescinding the initial offer letter, which informed him that I had stopped all actions, including seeking approval by the Board of Regents to appoint him at the July 31-August 1, 2008, meeting. I promptly made arrangements for the General to meet with the student leaders, and then I met with them to get their impressions on his character and abilities. As a result of their direct input, I restarted the process of hiring General Weber as our next Vice President for Student Affairs, and received unanimous approval by the Board of Regents on August 15, 2008.

General Weber has excelled at this position since he started, having gained the respect and admiration of students who interact with him and Mrs. Weber. Today, I write this open letter to the Texas A&M community in defense of my integrity. The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once said, “There are two ways to be fooled; one is to believe what isn’t so, the other is to refuse to believe what is so.”

I have confidence that what the facts have revealed is, by definition, the truth, and is what should be ultimately believed. I ask you to join me in always seeking to be truthful and fair, and to continue to develop strong leaders of character with respect and integrity – two of our most cherished core values here at Texas A&M.